Jeff Conaway (Kenickie from ‘Grease’) Is in a Coma

Sad news: Jeff Conaway, best known as playing Danny Zuko’s (John Travolta) right-hand man Kenickie in Grease, has been in a coma for a week after he was found unconscious at his home. Doctors say the cause is an overdose of painkillers and that the chances of him recovering are unlikely. What’s interesting is that the article went to great lengths to explain the plot of Grease, perhaps assuming that many readers had not seen the classic movie. So whether you have only heard about it or have seen it hundreds of times, here’s one of the fun musical numbers featuring Conaway and others.

The irony is, Conaway first became addicted to painkillers after he sustained a back injury while performing Grease on Broadway in the 1970s. In addition to those dependence issues, he soon developed addictions to alcohol, pills, and cocaine that continued for decades. He appeared on two seasons of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, but he — along with ex-fiance and music partner Vikki Lizzi — had no real desire to get clean. Though he briefly joined Travolta’s Church of Scientology to treat his problems, it didn’t take.